HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OUR READERS! HA
Vol. 20, No. 49
-FREE-
www.advocatenews.net enews net
Published Every Eve Friday
Council plans to protect city land from development By Barbara Taormina he city has taken the first steps toward preserving more areas of open and undeveloped space. City Councillors were quick this week to jump on board Ward 6 Councillor David Camell’s proposal to designate 8.36 acres of city-owned land as conservation land. The proposal involves about three dozen separate parcels, many located off Hurd, Blake, Canyon and West Canyon Streets, Olive Avenue, Nichols Road and Beachview Terrace. The City Council voted unanimously to refer the proposal to the Public Properties Committee for further review. “We live in a great, vibrant, fairly dense city, but we are also blessed to still have a number of places that are still raw, green space that we all value very much and that we want to keep,� said Camell. Camell said he hoped the city could follow a similar process as used to protect High Rock, an eight-acre parcel in
T
Our 80th Year
DRIVER EDUCATION
David Camell Ward 6 Councillor the Maplewood Highlands. Back in 2011, the city paid $1.8 million to spare High Rock from a major residential development. Revenue from Malden’s meal tax was used to purchase High Rock, and the property was designated as conservation land. The land cited in Camell’s proposal is already owned by the city, so there is no cost involved in purchasing the property. Designating the parcels as conservation land would guarantee that neighborhoods on the east side of the city keep their vista and patches of green, natural space. But the goal of the proposal extends beyond adding to the city’s stock of open space.
By Barbara Taormina ity Assessor Jim O’Brien was in his office Wednesday afternoon waiting on a phone call from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR). Before the new property tax rates that the City Council approved this week become official, the city needs an approval from DOR. It’s a formality, but O’Brien, who is all about details, stressed that everything is pending until he receives an OK from the state. The residential tax rate for 2019 will be $13.27 for every $1,000 of assessed value of a home. That figure is down slightly from this year’s rate of $14.09. The new commer-
C
Dec. 24 School Vacation
CALL - ENROLL
or Register Online 617-387-9121
HENRYSAUTOSCHOOL.COM
E EVERETT A AUTO SCHOOL “Successful Key To Driving� Since 1938 Gift Certificates Available
Friday, December 7, 2018
Season’s Greetings
Abby and Alex Pothier with Santa Claus share a moment with Santa Claus during the Malden High School Alumni Association’s Annual Holiday Pasta Dinner, held recently at Anthony’s of Malden. See more photo highlights on pages 14 & 15. (Advocate photo by Ross Scabin)
Tax rates approved for FY19
Next Classes
1 Week Day Classes
“Much of this land probably shouldn’t be built on,� said Camell. “I’m sure if we don’t protect it, somebody, at some point, will eye it and do whatever they can to blast, chip and wedge in more development and more impervious surfaces in an area already having problems with storm runoff.� Ward 3 Councillor Steve Winslow, one of several councillors who asked to be added as a co-sponsor of the proposal, agreed the land should be protected from problems that come with overdevelopment. “Much of this property is up in the Maplewood Highland area, which is highly impacted by storm runoff,� he said. “It’s important to protect this land to prevent that.� And councillors are not just trying to prevent flooded basements in that section of the city. Councillor-at-Large Craig Spadafora reminded fellow councillors that, years ago, construction projects in the area caused rocks to fall and damage surrounding houses. “Besides open space, there are other reasons to protect the area,� he said. “Those neighbors really need some protection.�
617-387-2200
cial property tax rate will be $20.53, down from $21.84. Despite the small dips in the rates, taxpayers will see small to moderate increases in their
tax bills because of the increase in value of Malden properties based on sales. “Sales are critical to what we do,� O’Brien told council-
TAX RATES | SEE PAGE 10
• HELP WANTED • HELP WANTED • HELP WANTED
$2.55 7D Licensed School Bus Driver GALLON Earn $15/HR paycheck
Malden Trans is looking for reliable 7D Drivers. Applicant preferable lives local (Malden, Everett, Revere). Part time positions available and based on AM & PM school hours...15-20 hours per week with potential for more.
Good driver history from registry a MUST!
If interested, please call
781-322-9400
*$//21
:H DFFHSW 0DVWHU&DUG 9LVD 'LVFRYHU
3ULFH 6XEMHFW WR &KDQJH ZLWKRXW QRWLFH
*DO 0LQ +U 6HUYLFH